Gemotions

Rain lashed against the overflowing bins. Amelia hunched her shoulders, the cheap nylon of her coat doing little to ward off the chill. She clutched the wallet tighter, its weight a heavy counterpoint to the lightness she’d felt moments before, before the discovery. It seemed to pulse with a frenetic energy against her palm.

She told herself she’d replace the things she’d pawned. Just a small loan, a temporary fix. The money in the wallet, enough to cover her bills for the next six months, could solve everything. But the thought of it made her stomach churn.

Her gaze kept darting around the alleyway. The shadows seemed to lengthen and twist, as if judging her. She knew she should find the owner, but the image of her empty fridge, the eviction notice taped to her door, played like a looped video in her mind.